European Union Could Retaliate to ‘Unwarranted’ US Travel Restrictions, Official States

The EU could “act quickly and firmly” in response to what it deems “unwarranted” visa bans imposed by the United States on five Europeans working on fighting online hate and misinformation, a European Commission spokesperson has said.

EU Officials Condemn US Action as ‘Coercion’

Officials from Europe including Emmanuel Macron accused Washington of “bullying and threats”, after the travel bans were placed on figures that were central to efforts to enact laws governing American tech companies.

“For too long, European activists have spearheaded coordinated campaigns to coerce American platforms to punish American viewpoints they disagree with,” stated the US secretary of state online. “The current administration will no longer tolerate such actions of extraterritorial censorship.”

Widespread Condemnation From EU Nations

Germany, Spain, the UK and a chorus of EU officials supported France in criticizing the move.

The bans were enacted on Tuesday on an ex-European commissioner who helped draft the bloc’s digital governance law, along with several activists fighting false information, including two in Germany and two in the UK.

An Escalating Conflict Over Regulation

The DSA is viewed by Washington as a form of censorship, while European leaders argue the regulations are essential to control hate speech and disinformation.

This row risks becoming part of a far wider existing political and ideological clash involving the current US administration and Europe.

Additional Updates Reported Today

In other judicial news:

• A federal judge has halted efforts to cut federal homeland security funding to states that do not comply with certain immigration enforcement policies. The judge ruled the action was “another example” of linking federal aid to policy compliance.
• Approval was given for the dispatch of 350 national guard members to New Orleans ahead of the new year, coinciding with an active immigration enforcement operation.
• The nation of Palau has agreed to take in a limited number of individuals from the US in return for increased assistance, after concluding a formal agreement with Washington.

Additionally, a congressional representative has filed a lawsuit seeking the stripping of a political figure’s name from a well-known cultural institution in Washington DC.

Analysts have also noted that comments regarding foreign petroleum resources align with a broader belief in some quarters of “resource imperialism”, leading to parallels with past foreign policy strategies.